Tape directing device



' TAPE nnmcwme DEVICE Filed June 26, 1942 Him lNvENToR.

GoRooN SIM Patented June 20, 1944 TAPE DIRECTING DEVICE Gordon Sim, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Teletype Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application June 26, 1942, Serial No. 448,658

Claims.

This invention relates to telegraph tape transmitting apparatus and particularly to a tape directing device for use in conjunction therewith.

In the operation of telegraph tape transmitting apparatus, it is customary to allow used tape to be advanced from the apparatus after it has performed its signal transmitting function to a conveniently arranged tape receptacle. It is occasionally required, however, that sections of tape be retained for retransmission purposes. Accordingly, the prime object of the present invention is to provide means to accomplish such a result.

In large telegraph installations, such as illustrated in the copending design application Serial No. Dl01,530 to W. J. Zenner et al., filed June 18, 1941', a considerable number of transmitters is provided, and, inasmuch as it is desirable that the individual transmitters remain unattended for the greater portion of their operating time, it is an important feature of the present invention that the retention of tape for retransmission may be automatically accomplished with a minimum of attention by an operator.

By the presentinvention there is provided a pivotable tape blocking arm which may be positioned to block advancing tape, issuing from the tape transmitter, and a guide plate which directs the tape outwardly over the front of the cabinet in which the transmitting apparatus is housed. In the cop'ending design application, Serial No. D-101,529 to W. J. Zenner, filed June 18, 1941, is illustrated a telegraph apparatus cabinet, particularly adaptable for use in connection with the present invention.

This invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following description and the drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the transmitting apparatus embodied in the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the same apparatus partly in section;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the apparatus disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 4' is an enlarged front end view of the tape blocking arm.

Referring now to the drawing, ll indicates a portion of a telegraph apparatus cabinet such as disclosed in the last referred to Zenner design application. The apparatus cabinet is provided with an inset shelf portion 12, upon which is mounted a tape transmitter I3 which advances the tape by mean of an intermittently operated sprocket wheel I4 through the engagement of its teeth with the feed holes of the tape.

The tape in its advancement is guided between the guide members l5 over which is normally positioned a pivotably mounted lid member 16, which is pivotable about the shaft 11. In Fig. 1, the lid member I6 is shown in its vertical or open position and in Fig, 3 is shovm in its horizontal or closed position. The lid carries a pivotable latch member 18, which is urged in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, by means of a coil spring l9. When it is desired to transmit, the lid member I6 is placed in its horizontal position whereat the latch member 18 enters the aperture 49 in plate 20 and becomes latched at its shoulder portion 21, upon the under side of the plate 20 due to the action of coil spring 19.

Normally the tape 22 i allowed to feed past the guide members l5 over an inclined portion 23', thence over a horizontally extending portion 24 of a plate I", over the guide member 10, through an aperture in the inset side portion 32 of the apparatus cabinet, to a tape disposal chuteway 25 (Fig. 2) which leads to a tape disposal receptacle 26 positioned beneath the transmitter. The guide member 10 is suitably attached to the portion 32 of the cabinet by a pair of screws 50, only one of which is visible in the drawing.

When it is desired to retain tape for retransmission purposes, the device now to be described is placed in operation. Parallel to and a slight distance above the horizontal portion 24 of plate Hi, there is mounted a plate 21 having a vertically extending flange 28, which is provided with slotted apertures 29, through which extend screws 30 by means of which the plate is attached to the inset side portion 32 of the apparatus cabinet. To the flanged portion 28 of the plate there is suitably attached a stud member 33, having a reduced portion about which pivots a blocking arm 34. The pivoted blocking arm 34 is provided with serrated projections 35 (Fig. 4) which are adapted to enter the apertures 36 in the plate 21, when the blocking operation is to be performed. The blocking arm 34 is also provided with a finger piece 40 for conveniently pivoting the blocking arm. In Fig. 1, the blocking arm 34 is illustrated in its vertical or unoperated position, while in Figs. 2 and 3, the blocking arm is illustrated in its horizontal or operated position.

In the employment of the present invention the tape is first severed, allowing the advance used portion of the tape to drop down the disposal chute 25 to the disposal receptacle 26. The blocking arm 34 is then pivoted to its horizontal tions 35 of the tape blocking arm 34', and will be prevented from further forward movement. The provision of serrations on the projections .35 is important inasmuch as they assure that, the end of the tape will be positively caught and will not tend to curl up in the space between plates 24 and 21 as the tape is further advanced by the sprocket wheel to thus impair the successful operation of the device. In view of the fact that the tape is now blocked from further forward movement, the continued advancement of the tape by the sprocket wheel M will cause the formation of an upwardly extending loop of tape, such as is shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The front portion of the loop of tape is engageable with the angularly disposed edge 37 of the guide plate 2?. As the advancement of the tape continues, the loop increases in size and creeps gradually along the angular edge 31 of the guide plate 21 toward the front of the apparatus cabinet until it engages a downwardly depending lug 38 of plate 21. Due to the angular edge 31 of the guide plate, the loop of tape throughout its forward travel maintains a position in which it is tilted slightly toward the front of the cabinet, as shown in Fig. 3. When the tape loop reaches the position wherein it engages with the depending lug 38, its movement toward the front of the cabinet is momentarily retarded; The tape loop at this point further increases in size until finally the loop collapses under its own weight and falls outwardly in front of the tape transmitter, pulling the end of the tape away from 'theprojections 35 of the rotatable blocking arm, thus allowing the tape to thereafter accumulate in front of the apparatus cabinet, as shown in dot and dash lines in Figs-1 and 2. The portion of the 'tape from which it is'desired to retransmit a message is now readily available to the operator and is completely separated from the other. used portions of the tape which have been allowed to enter the tape disposal receptacle. The present invention thus provides a very efficient and convenient device for retaining portions of used tape for retransmitting purposes.

Although the invention has been described in connection with one particular embodiment thereof, it is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing fromthe spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

l.'In a strip directing device provided with a strip, a strip advancing means, meansjadjustably and selectively positionable in the path of movement of the strip to block the advancing strip to form a loop therein in conjunction with said advancing meansyandmeans to direct saidlojop in a predetermined direction of movement laterally to the normal direction of movement of said strip and in the same plane thereof.

2. In a strip directing deviceprovided with a strip, means for forming a loop in said strip including a manually operable blocking member, and guiding means for directing said formed loop under its own weight to enable the further advancement of said tape in another path of movement in unlooped condition.

4. In a strip directing device provided with a strip, a strip advancing means, means to block the advancing strip to form a loop therein in conjunction with said advancing means, and

guiding means for guiding said loop in a predetermined direction laterally to the normal direction of movement of said strip and in the same plane thereof, said advancing means being operable to cause a progressive increase in size of said loop until thecollapse thereof under its own weight and to cause the further advancement of said strip in an unlooped condition after said collapse.

5. In a strip directing device provided with a strip, means for initially advancing said strip in a longitudinal path of movement for a predetermined distance, means for thereafter enabling the further advancement of said strip in a path of movement laterally to the normal direction of movement of said strip and in the same plane thereof in looped condition, said loop being collapsible to enable further advancement of said strip in unlooped condition.

6. In a strip feeding device provided with a strip, a strip advancing means, means to block the advancing strip to form a loop therein, a guide member for directing said loop in a predetermined direction laterally to the normal direction of movement of said strip and in the same plane thereof, and means for temporarily stopping the movement of said loop in said predetermined direction, said loop being thereafter collapsible to enable further advancement of said strip in another direction in unlooped condition.

'7. In a'strip feeding device provided with a strip, a strip advancing means, a blocking member positionableto block the strip advanced by said advancing means to form a loop therein, a guide member for directing said loop in a predetermined direction laterally to the normal di-' rection of movement of said strip and in the same plane thereof, and means for temporarily stopping the movement of said loop in said predetermined direction, said loop being thereafter collapsible to enable further advancement of said strip in another direction in unlooped condition.

8-. In a strip directing device provided with a strip, a strip advancing means, a guide plate under which the strip is advanced, and a pivotable blocking member positionable through openings in said guide plate to block advancing strip to form a'loop therein, said guide plate having its entrance edge biased with respect to the direc tion of'advancement of said strip for directing said loop in a predetermined direction.

9. In a strip directing device provided with a strip, a strip advancing means, a guide plate under which the strip is advanced, and a pivotable blocking member positionable through openings in said guide plate to block advancing strip to form a loop therein, said blocking member having serrations thereon to assure the formation of said loop in said strip, said guide plate having its entrance edge biased with respect to the direction of advancement of said strip for directing said loop in a predetermined direction.

10. In a strip directing device provided with a strip, a strip advancing means, a guide plate under which the strip is advanced, and a pivotable blocking member positionable through openings in said guide plate to block advancing strip to form a loop therein, said guide plate having its entrance edge biased with respect to the direction of advancement of said strip for directing said loop in a predetermined direction and having a depending lug thereon to enhance the formation of said loop to a point of collapsibility whereafter said strip is redirected in unlooped condition.

GORDON SIM. 

